6th Gen Kalos Travel Journal

This is my Y playthrough.
Trainer: Haruki - ♀ - Age: 17

I had just moved to the nice small town of Vaniville. Mom's Rhyhorn sat in front of the house in his sand bed like a ferocious guard protecting its masters. "Haruki!" Mom called from downstairs. "Its way past time for you to wake up! Why don't you go greet the neighbors?! Get your butt dressed too, girlie!" I groaned, pulling the blanket over my head. The sound of fluttering wings prepared me for the worst. PECK! Our family Fletchling stabbed its beak into my side. He did it gently enough that it wouldn't hurt too much. I bolted upright and waved my hands at the Tiny Robin Pokémon. It chirped at me and flew around my head, warning me. I sat up and got out of bed. I pulled on my clothes and headed downstairs. Mom handed me some toast and then shoved me out the door with a pleased, "Go have fun now!"
When I was out the door, I was greeted by a girl with pigtails and a boy with medium length black hair. "Hey, neighbor," the boy said, "My name is Calem. This jumping girl is Shauna." "Hey! I can introduce myself, you know!" the girl said indignantly. Calem laughed, but shrugged her comment off. "Hey, you may be new here, but apparently the Prof. knows about you and wants to give you a Pokémon!" Shauna said, happy and excited. "I get one too!" I grinned, Shauna's excitement becoming contagious. "We'll meet you in Aquacorde Town. Its just past Rt. 1, okay?" Calem told me. I nodded, wondering why they wouldn't just wait for me. As Shauna ran off with Calem barely keeping up with her, I realized why. Boy, that girl could run!
I went in the direction those two went, passing the gates that led to Rt. 1. There was nothing in Rt. 1. It was just a pathway, and that was why Rt. 1's alternative name was the Vaniville Pathway. Aquacorde Town was beautiful; there was a fountain in the center of the town with colorful shops and building flanking it on either side. On the far end of the town was a river with a bridge to cross over it. As I headed towards the center of town, Shauna's loud voice stopped me, "Hey, Haruki! Over heeeeeeeeeeeere!!" I noticed Calem and Shauna sitting in front of a table. There was a red-head nerdy looking boy along with a larger boy with a Vanillite shirt. I joined them at the table. "Okay, now everyone is here," Calem said. "This is Haruki." "Wow! Shauna's description was spot-on!" the bigger boy said. "Yes, yes. Anyways, Haruki, he's Tierno. He lives in Vaniville with us. He loves dancing moves and keep up a beat," Calem said. Tierno grinned, about to say something. Calem cut him off, "And this shy boy is Trevor. He's really smart and can ace any test. He's from Lumiose City." Trevor smiled and nodded at me, but remained rather quiet. "Hey, hey, Tierno, can we get our new Pokémon now?" Shauna said, bouncy impatiently in her seat. Tierno laughed and pulled out a container. "Here's three Pokémon. Pick one carefully," he told us, putting the container on the table. "Haruki should pick first, since she's new here," Calem said. Shauna made a noise, but otherwise she didn't protest. I looked into the container, observing each Pokéball. The frog one seemed to hit against the ball, begging me to choose him. "Fine, I'll choose you, you little fiend," I muttered, picking up the Froakie's Pokéball.

Updated team:
View attachment 72402Froakie – Lv 5 - ♂ - Kaeru

"Fine, then I choose Fennekin! That means you get Chespin, Calem," Shauna declared. Calem smiled at the Pokéball containing his new friend. "Nice to meet you, Chespin. You're going to help me achieve my goal, aren't you?" he said gently. Trevor coughed to get our attention. "The Prof. also wanted me to give you three a Pokédex. It records all the Pokémon you've caught on your journey. My goal is to complete the Pokédex," he said proudly. He handed me the red device. Next, Tierno spoke up, "And here's a letter from Prof. Sycamore, letting your parents know what you'll be doing and where you'll be going." He handed me the letter. After everything was done, I stood up from my chair to head back to Vaniville Town to deliver this letter. Before I even reached Rt. 1, Shauna stopped me. "Hey, let's battle!" she said. I wouldn't say no to a direct challenge.

To be continued…. TOMORROW ON 6/22

June 18, 2014

I had several battles at the Battle Chateau since I was passing by. One of my toughest battles was against Marquis Grisognono, who used a Yanmega, and a Pokémon I haven't seen before. It looked like a huge panda bear.

"Yanmega, the Ogre Darner Pokémon, and the evolved form of Yanma. Yanmega are easily capable of transporting an adult in flight. The wings on their tails help them stay balanced. These six-legged Pokémon prefer to battle by biting apart foes' heads instantly while flying at high speed."

"Pangoro, the Daunting Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pancham. Pangoro charge ahead and bash their opponents like berserkers, uncaring about any hits they might take. Although they possess violent temperaments, they won't put up with bullying. They use the leaf in their mouths to sense the movements of their enemies. Their arms are mighty enough to snap a telephone pole."

So that's an evolved Pancham! I kept battling at the chateau, and then made my way to Ambrette Town on the coast. At the Pokémon Center, I rotated my Pokémon, keeping Lapras with me and had Helioptile, Drifloon, Volbeat, Charmeleon, and Taillow sent to me. I did some Surfing along the Muraille Coast with Lapras, and found a Wailmer that I caught!

"Wailmer, the Ball Whale Pokémon. Wailmer eat one ton of food every day. They bounce playfully like a ball. The more seawater they swallow, the higher they bounce. They play by shooting stored seawater out their blowholes with great force."

177. Wailmer

June 19, 2014

I spent some time fishing along Muraille Coast with my Good Rod, and caught a Skrelp and Shellder!

178. Skrelp

179. Shellder

Continued from Last Time…
Y

Shauna and I readied our Pokéballs. I shook with excitement. My first real Pokémon battle. I hoped Kaeru would be able to win this for me. "Ready?" I asked. The Pokéball shook in my hand, letting me know that my Froakie was as excited as I was. "Go, Kaeru!" I shouted, throwing my Pokéball out. The Bubble Frog Pokémon gave a pose, watching Shauna intently. "Go, Maho!" Shauna said, throwing her Fennekin's Pokéball out as well. The Fox Pokémon howled, rearing to go.
"Kaeru, use Bubble!" I ordered. Kaeru shot bubbles from his mouth out at the Fire-type Pokémon. I was lucky that my first battle was against the type I was good against. Maho shook her head, trying to dodge, but only a few bubbles passed her, most of them hitting directly. It took a bit chunk out of the little fox's health, and I could see she had troubles staying upright. "Maho, use Scratch!" Shauna said, the frustration evident in her voice. Maho charged at Kaeru, her claws ready. "Jump out of the way, Kaeru, and end it with another Bubble attack!" I shouted. Kaeru tried to get out of the way of Maho's nails, but they skimmed over the skin of his belly. Even with the injury, he was able to shoot more bubbles at her. With that hit, Maho went down and I was victorious. "Wow, Haruki! You were amazing. You're like a natural trainer!" Shauna said, returning her Pokémon to its ball. I smiled at her. "You did good too, Shauna," I praised her. She shook her head, laughing lightly. "I'll heal up your Pokémon for you. You should deliver that letter to your mom, and then head up to Rt. 2 towards the Santalune Forest," Shauna said. As she talked, she healed Kaura. Kaeru gave a grateful cry before I returned him to his Pokéball. Shauna waved me goodbye as she headed further into Aquacorde Town. I headed back into the short route and finally back to Vaniville Town. My mom greeted me when I opened the door. "Hello, Haruki. What did you and the neighbor kids do?" she said over her shoulder. She turned to me and then noticed my Froakie's Pokéball. "Oh? Is that a Pokéball?" she said. I nodded. "Yeah, and here's a letter I was s'posed to give you, Mom," I said, handing her the letter. She read over it, commenting on how lovely the handwriting was. She smiled and looked up at me when she was done. "So you're going on an adventure? Let me go pack some things for you. Sit down and eat lunch while I get your stuff ready," she said excitedly. Somehow she seemed more excited than even I was. I sat down at the table, munching on a PB&J sandwich as Mom headed upstairs into my room. After some time, she came back down with my bag. "I packed you some clothes and the other essentials every girl should bring with them. Have fun on your adventure, Haruki," she said, handing it to me. After some hugging and crying on my mom's part, I went out the door. I left and headed back to Aquacorde Town. I checked my map as I walked. I should head to Santalune City first, then. I passed through the small and scenic town, passing into Rt. 2. As I walked into the tall grass carefully, a Pidgey jumped out at me. Kaeru defeated it with just one Bubble attack. It wasn't that exciting. I headed further into the route, I noticed Shauna and Calem. "Hey guys," I called out, waving my arm. Shauna noticed me and tugged on Calem's shirt sleeve. "Haruki's here, Calem. Are you gonna show us now?" she asked, jumping up and down like an eager child waiting for a treat. Calem looked to me as she brushed Shauna off him. "Hey Haruki. I was waiting for you. My parents are seasoned trainers, and you two are newbies. I thought that maybe I would teach you how to catch a Pokémon. How does that sound?" he asked. He was watching me, seemingly more interested in my response than Shauna's. I shrugged. "Sure, why not?" I said. Calem sent out his Fletchling. "C'mon, buddy. Lets go show these two girls how its done, okay?" he said. The Tiny Robin Pokémon chirped as though to agree with its master. The two ventured into the tall grass, and Shauna and I stood on the very edge, observing. After a boring tutorial (I knew how to catch a Pokémon because my mom had been a trainer before, too), Calem came back over to us. He handed each of us 10 Pokéballs. "Thanks, dude," I said. Calem smiled and nodded, "Well, I'm heading to the Santalune Forest. Hope to see you again, Haruki." He ran off. Shauna went into the tall grass, looking for new Pokémon. I let her be and headed towards the forest. I battled with a young boy with a Zigzagoon before I entered the thicket of trees. When I was in the forest, Shauna caught up to me. "Hey Haruki! Why don't we travel together?" she asked. I groaned internally, but outwardly responded with a smile. "Sure, Shauna. Why not?" We walked through the forest, battling trainers and wild Pokémon as we went. Shauna's ramblings seemed to go on forever. I had started to filter her out after a while. We finally reached a break in the trees. Before we were completely out, Calem, Tierno, and Trevor caught up with us. "Wow, you got ahead of me, neighbor. You seem to be a good rival. I won't lose to you!" Calem said. "Why don't we head out together and look around?" I really wanted to travel alone and ditch these losers, but it would be rude of me to deny them this. We walked out of the forest into Rt. 3. We all talked about our dreams and goals for a while (well, they did and I barely paid attention. I was looking towards the city ahead). I think Calem caught on to my boredom. He said, "Well, maybe we should all part ways and finish our goals on our own. We can meet up sometimes and see how far we've come. What do you say?" I nearly shouted with joy. I toned down my excitement, however, and calmly said, "That's a brilliant idea, Calem." And with a hum of agreement from us all, we parted ways. Trevor and Tierno stayed together, though. Weirdos. Finally, Santalune City was within my sights. I knew the first gym was in there. I started to walk toward my next destination.

Updated Team:
View attachment 72412 Froakie – Lv 11 - ♂ - Kaeru

To be continued… TOMORROW ON 6/23!!

Continued from Last Time…
Y

Santalune City was a bit smaller than I had thought it would be. I battled a trainer near the gym to get a pair of roller skates, though. I looked around the town. There was a fancy hat shop and a small diner. I went first to the diner. The diner allowed Pokémon, so I sent Kaeru out. He looked up at me, wondering if I was going to battle. I shook my head, telling him, "No, we aren't battling. We're going to enjoy a dinner here. Please behave." Kaeru gave me a look like he was offended that I'd even suggest him misbehaving. I laughed. Kaeru and I enjoyed our lunch without incident. Next I went to the fancy hat shop. I looked around, but I didn't find anything I wanted. So I left. Before going to the gym, I headed over to Rt. 22. I went into the tall grass to see what I could find. I found a few duds, but then I ran into something really nice. A male Litleo. I told Kaeru to be gentle, and with little effort, I was able to catch the Lion Cub Pokémon.

Updated Team:
View attachment 72451 Froakie – Lv 12 - ♂ - Kaeru
View attachment 72452 Litleo – Lv 6 - ♂ - Hokori

I needed to train Hokori up so he could hold his own in a battle. I knew Santalune City's Gym Leader used Bug-type Pokémon, so Hokori would be a great help. We battled some trainers around Rt. 22, and when I thought everyone was well trained, I headed to the gym. "Hey, future Champ! My name is Clyde. I like to give everyone some advice before they enter the gym. Santalune City's gym uses all Bug-type! Now, Bug-type Pokémon get nervous around Fire-types, but there are some Bug-types that are dual types. You should keep a Flying-type in hand just in case. Go get 'em!" the man with glasses in the front room said. He pointed to the pole in the center of the room. "When you're ready, jump down the pole and head into the battling part of the gym." I took a running start and slid down the pole, ready to win. Every trainer in the gym used Bug Pokémon, and the webs I traveled along in the gym made me a little jumpy. However, when I made it to the gym leader, she was standing on a platform. Thank Arceus! I was not going to travel on another web in my life, I decided. As soon as I stood on the platform in front of the blond gym leader, she pointed her camera at me and blinded me with a flash. "Hello, challenger! I'm Viola, Santalune City's very own Gym Leader! Are you ready?" she asked. She was obviously ready. "Heck yeah I'm ready! I'm Haruki, and my original town is Olivine City from the Johto region, but I know live in Vaniville Town," I said, pulling out my Froakie's ball. I had heard she started with the Bug/Water-type Pokémon Surskit, so Hokori wouldn't be good against it. "May the battle between Santalune City's Camerawoman Who Never Misses a Smile, Viola and the challenger Haruki from Vaniville Town begin!" the announcer said.

Updated Team:
View attachment 72451 Froakie – Lv 14 - ♂ - Kaeru
View attachment 72452 Litleo – Lv 10 - ♂ - Hokori

"Go Kaeru!" I shouted, throwing his Pokéball. "Go, Surskit!" Viola shouted, throwing her Pokéball out as well. The Pond Skater Pokémon watched Kaeru. Kaeru glared back. "Surskit, start with a Water Sport!" Viola demanded. The Surskit produced water and shot it upwards, weakening the power of Fire-type moves. "Kaeru, use Quick Attack!" I shouted, getting him to move first. He ran at Surskit. "Surskit, get away from him and use Bubble!" Viola ordered. The Surskit tried to move out of Kaeru's way, but Kaeru was too quick for her to fully dodge, and the full force of his body pushed Surskit down. The Surskit got back up, watching Kaeru while waiting for her owner's next orders. "Surskit, use Quick Attack this time! Beat him down!" she shouted. I watched the Surskit as it moved towards Kaeru. Kaeru waited for my order patiently. He knew I had a plan. When the Surskit was close enough, I shouted out, "Kaeru, use Lick right on that bug's face!" Kaeru's long froggy tongue shot out at Surskit, and the Surskit shuddered. It backed away to avoid another lick. "Surskit, use Bubble again," she said. The Pokémon shot bubbles at Kaeru, but Kaeru just brushed them off like they were nothing. "Kaeru, Water Pulse!!" I shouted, telling my Froakie to use its newly learned move. A large pulse of water shot at Surskit. She stumbled and finally fainted. The effects of Water Sport wore off just at the right time. "Okay, now for my next Pokémon. Go, Vivillon!" Viola said, bring Surskit back to her Pokéball as she sent out her Scale Pokémon. The beautiful butterfly flapped out her pink and white wings, showing off her beauty. I returned Kaeru to his ball and held Hokori's ball in my hand. He stared at me through it. "Ready, boy? This is an important battle, but I know you can do it," I said, throwing his ball out. "Go, Hokori! Show them who's boss!" Hokori gave a proud roar. The Vivillon looked nervous now. "Don't stutter now, Vivillon. Use Gust!" Viola ordered. The bug Pokémon began to flap her wings, sending a gust at Hokori. "Hokori, counter it with Ember!" I ordered. The Lion Cub Pokémon gave a happy cry, and as he did, a flaming ball shot out towards the butterfly. It caught her wing, but with her continuing her gust, it was put out after it burned her a little. The Gust attack was pushing Hokori. "Hokori, run around and send off some more Ember!" I told him. My Litleo howled and ran towards the Vivillon, readying his fire. When he got behind her, he shot off his Ember at her. She flapped her wings, trying to keep up, but soon she fell. "The winner is Haruki from Vaniville Town!" the announcer declared. Viola smiled, returning her Vivillon to her Pokéball. She came up to me. "You and your Pokémon were amazing! Just fantastic! Would you mind if I took a picture of you with them?" she asked. I shrugged. "Sure, why not?" I answered. "Come on out, Kaeru!" I then called Hokori back over to me. He was running around like the crazy cub he was. He ran up to me, roaring and trying to climb up my leg. I pet his head before motioning him and Kaeru close. Viola aimed her camera and took the shot. "Fantastic! This will be a great memory when you and your Pokémon won their first badge together," she said, jumping up and down. "Now, head through the back door and continue on. Oh, before you leave, here is your badge. Also, I'll give you this Technical Machine. Its TM 83 and it contains the move Infestation. I hope you can put it to good use. Bye, Haruki. I hope to see you again!" With that, I left the gym, proud of my two Pokémon.

Updated Team:
View attachment 72451 Froakie – Lv 15 - ♂ - Kaeru
View attachment 72452 Litleo – Lv 12 - ♂ - Hokori

Badges:
View attachment 72450

To be continued… TOMORROW ON 6/25!!

simply loving it \O/ I'm about to get to kalos league!!! I love pokemon :3

June 21, 2014

While I was walking along the beach of Muraille Coast, I came upon two Pokémon eggs. I carried them with me a while and they both eventually hatched! The first one was a Staryu, and the other was a Clauncher!

180. Staryu

181. Clauncher

I then made my way back to Geosenge Town where I rested for the night.

June 22, 2014

On Miroir Way, I found yet another Pokémon egg. It hatched into a Sawk!

182. Sawk

Not long after that, my Taillow evolved into a Swellow!

"Swellow, the Swallow Pokémon, and the evolved form of Taillow. Swellow soar elegantly in the sky. They dive at a steep angle as soon as they spot their prey. They catch their prey with their sharp claws. If their two tail feathers are standing at attention, it is proof of good health."

183. Swellow

Inside Reflection Cave, I found one more Pokémon egg, which this time hatched into a Wynaut! It's been quite a while since I trained a Wynaut.

"Wynaut, the Bright Pokémon, and the pre-evolved form of Wobbuffet. Wynaut tend to move in a pack with others. They grow strong by pushing up against others en masse. They cluster in a tight group to sleep in caves and love eating sweet fruit."

184. Wynaut

Back on Fourrage Road outside Coumarine city, my Drifloon evolved into a Drifblim!

"Drifblim, the Blimp Pokémon, and the evolved form of Drifloon. Drifblim carry people and Pokémon when they fly. But since they only drift, they can end up anywhere. They're drowsy in daytime, but fly off in the evening in big groups. No one knows where they go."

185. Drifblim

After talking to some folks at the Pokémon Center in Coumarine City, I discovered there was one more Pokémon I missed in my travels along the coast. I returned all the way to Cyllage City, and cast out my Good Rod several times. Eventually, I finally caught myself a Horsea!

186. Horsea


June 24, 2014

I finished training the current team, and then rotated out my Pokémon back in Coumarine City. I kept Lapras with me and had Kirlia, Tyrunt, Golett, Illumise, and Solrock sent to me. I then spent some time finally exploring the upper level part of Coumarine City. There wasn't too much exciting, although there was a nice view of the Azure Bay from the cliffs. I also ran into some folks who knew a little bit about the Unova region, mentioning things like triple battles, rotation battles, and Dr. Fennel and her work with the Pokémon Dream World. That brought back some memories.

July 2, 2014

It's a hot, humid, and stormy day, but I'm happy to have it off from work! After doing some extensive house-cleaning in the morning, I decided to train with my Pokémon. My Kirlia evolved into a Gardevoir!

"Gardevoir, the Embrace Pokémon, and an evolved form of Kirlia. Gardevoir have the power to predict the future. Their power peaks when they are protecting their trainers, and they will expend all their psychic power to create a small black hole."

187. Gardevoir

Shortly after that, I rotated my team and had Eevee, Hawlucha, Roggenrola, Braixen, and Woobat sent to me. The Eevee was the one I caught in a Premier Ball. I noticed it was very playful, and loved eating Poképuffs.

It was a fun team to train! Hawlucha learned a move called Flying Press, which is quite a unique new move because it is both a fighting and flying-type move. It was very useful when training against the wild Pokémon in the area. Woobat and Roggenrola took care of the wild Pokémon hordes, and it's fun watching Braixen use its stick like a wand when it uses its attacks. Then, later in the evening, my Eevee started to evolve! This must be the new evolution of Eevee I heard about!

"Sylveon, the Intertwining Pokémon, and an evolved form of Eevee. Sylveon wrap their ribbon-like feelers around the arms of their beloved trainers while they walk with them. They send a soothing aura from these feelers to calm fights."

188. Sylveon

After spending some time testing out my new Sylveon, I rotated Pokémon again, and had Furret, Kecleon, Onix, my regular Cubone, and Furfrou sent to me. I still have Lapras with me in case I want to explore nearby Azure Bay, but I don't think this group of Pokémon is best suited for encounters with water-type Pokémon.

July 3, 2014

It's a sunny, hot and humid morning. I had a good breakfast then took my Pokémon out to Fourrage Road to train. While we were training, my Cubone evolved into a Marowak!

"Marowak, the Bone Keeper Pokémon, and the evolved form of Cubone. Marowak are small and were originally very weak. Their temperament turned ferocious when they began using bones, which they hold as their key weapon. They throw these bones skillfully like a boomerang to KO targets."

189. Marowak

After a day of training, I had Nurse Joy treat that group and then had Dedenne, Ralts, Wormadam(P), Makuhita, and Ivysaur sent to me.

July 4, 2014

Now that I have some grass and electric-type Pokémon with me, it's time to explore Azure Bay!
Before leaving the Pokémon Center I checked in to see if I earned any more medals, and it looks like I earned four medals over the last few weeks, bringing my total up to 67 medals!

E-010-1 Fun Head It Fan A Medal commemorating a score of ★★★ in Pokémon-Amie's Head It Unlimited mode. 07/02/2014
E-009-1 Fun Berry Picker Fan A Medal commemorating a score of ★★★ in Pokémon-Amie's Berry Picker Unlimited mode. 07/02/2014
A-030-3 Adventure Evolution Expert A Medal for great Trainers who evolved Pokémon 50 times, which surprises even the Pokémon Day-Care. 06/24/2014
A-005-2 Adventure Good Rod Fisherman A Medal given to leisure fishers who caught 10 Pokémon. 06/24/2014

Since I haven't fished in the nearby areas yet, I decided to go out to the beach on Fourrage Road and cast out my Good Rod. I hooked a Remoraid! I had Ivysaur use Sleep Powder on it and then immediately caught it.

"Remoraid, the Jet Pokémon. Remoraid have superb accuracy. The water they shoot out can strike moving prey from more than 300 feet away. Using the dorsal fin as a suction pad, they cling to a Mantine's underside to scavenge for leftovers."

190. Remoraid

Right after that I hooked a Clamperl! This time I had Dedenne use Nuzzle to paralyze it, and then I tossed a Dive Ball and caught it. But of course, I'll need more than one, so after hooking another Remoraid and tossing it back, my following cast of my Good Rod fished up a second Clamperl! I had Dedenne Nuzzle it and then I tossed a Repeat Ball to catch it.

"Clamperl, the Bivalve Pokémon. Clamperl are protected by a sturdy shell. Once in a lifetime, they make a magnificent pearl. When they evolve, this pearl amplifies psychic powers when it's held."

191. Clamperl

Finally, I hopped aboard my Lapras and Surf'd ahead to reach the entrance to Azure Bay.

July 5, 2014

It's a beauty, sunny, low humidity day, so it makes perfect weather to spend in a place like Azure Bay! A gentle breeze was blowing as I was exploring from the back of my Lapras. I ran into a man who noticed my Mega Ring, and he gave me a Mega Stone that he had discovered. I then explored a lot more of the bay, and did some fishing. I noticed that there were a lot of wild Remoraid and also some Chinchou! It took a while but I finally found one to catch.

"Chinchou, the Angler Pokémon. Chinchou shoot positive and negative electricity between the tips of their two antennae and zap their enemies. On the dark ocean floor, their only means of communication are their constantly flashing lights."

192. Chinchou

I found a cave on an island. According the map, it's called the Sea Spirit's Den. I went inside, but there was absolutely nothing remarkable to see. All was quiet.

I found plenty of little islands with a handful of items lying around. Most notably, I found a small path leading to a large, almost hidden alcove on which I found a DeepSeaTooth and DeepSeaScale, items that will come in handy when I'm training the two Clamperl I recently caught.

There were also a handful of trainers that wanted to battle in the bay. A couple wanted sky battles, but I didn't have any flying-type Pokémon with me. I did battle one trainer who used two water-type Pokémon I haven't seen yet in Kalos, a Corsola and a Lanturn!

"Corsola, the Coral Pokémon. Corsola continuously shed and grow. They prefer unpolluted southern seas. Their coral branches lose their color and deteriorate in dirty water. The tip of their heads is prized as a treasure because of its beauty."

"Lanturn, the Light Pokémon, and the evolved form of Chinchou. Lanturn blind prey with intense bursts of light. With the prey incapacitated, they swallow it in a single gulp. They are nicknamed "The Deep-Sea Star" because their light can shine up from great depths."

Having thoroughly explored Azure Bay, I returned to the Pokémon Center for the night. After a little treatment from Nurse Joy, my Pokémon will be swapped for Rhyhorn, Sandile, Binacle, Yanma, Farfetch'd, and I finally also had my shiny Cubone sent back to me. It's finally done training and has learned how to use Power-Up Punch!

July 6, 2014

Another beautiful summer day! I started some training in the morning on Fourrage Road. Towards the end my Sandile evolved into Krokorok!

"Krokorok, the Desert Croc Pokémon, and the evolved form of Sandile. Krokorok live in groups of a few individuals. The special membrane covering their eyes can sense the heat of objects, so they can see their surroundings even in darkness. These membranes also shield their eyes from sandstorms."

193. Krokorok

Next up for training was Spritzee, Ledian, Eevee (Dive Ball), Gloom, and Quilladin. Then later in the evening, it was Gyarados, Swirlix, Fletchinder, Eevee (Net Ball), and Floette. Just a handful more and then I can focus on preparing for my next gym battle!

July 10, 2014 11:30pm

After a looooong week at work, I decided to do some late night training on Fourrage Road. Then this happened…

I was just battling random wild Pokémon, training my current team. Then, without warning I came upon a Wingull horde and something sparkle. Second from the left was a green wing-tipped Wingull. A shiny Wingull!

I took great care in having my Floette knock out the other Wingull with its Fairy Wind attack. When it was down to just us and the shiny Wingull, I tossed a single Poké Ball and… I caught a shiny Wingull!!

July 11, 2014

I transferred my newly caught Wingull to Professor Sycamore to examine. I can't wait to train it! Until then, I continued with training my current team. Then I had Smeargle, Bagon, Vivillon, Stunky, and Vespiquen sent over to me.

July 12, 2014

I started rotating the last five Pokémon into the team: Meowstic(F), Sableye, Hippopotas, Mothim, and Bibarel.

July 13, 2014

I'm heading across the country to Phoenix, Arizona for work today! I was welcomed with 100 degree temperatures when I arrived. Once I settled in at the hotel, I let my Pokémon out to explore. Cubone, Sableye, and Hippopotas did not seem to mind the heat and stayed outside. The others preferred to stay in the hotel or back in their Poké Balls. But my focus now is getting ready for my next gym battle in Coumarine City!

July 16, 2014

Finally, I am done with rotating all my Pokémon! Whew! There is a ton of Pokémon in Kalos, and I'm only 3 badges in.

Now I get to think about who I would like to use in my gym battle. I hear that it's a grass-type gym, so Cubone may not be the best choice but I'll think about it. I think I'll bring Aerodactyl to have some mega-evolution power on my side. Hawlucha should be a good match-up as well. And maybe I'll start to train my new Wingull. So I had those four Pokémon transferred over to me.

I called Professor Sycamore to ask him about my Wingull. He said that it is a gentle Pokémon, but has a sturdy body. (That's counter-productive.) Other than that, he feels that this little female Wingull is rather average, and for a Pokémon that should be rather fast, he said that this Wingull is terribly slow for its species. With that knowledge, I decided to hold off on training it for the moment, and use Cubone, Aerodactyl, and Hawlucha for the gym battle.

July 17, 2014

Serena challenged me to a battle to see who would challenge the Coumarine Gym first. She asked me to demonstrate Mega Evolution during our battle. How could I resist?

Her line up hadn't changed since our battle in Shalour City. She led with Meowstic while I led with my Hawlucha. Though in hindsight I should have had Hawlucha use Encore on her Meowstic's Fake Out, but I didn't think quickly enough. In the end, Mega Aerodactyl defeated Meowstic with Bite; Cubone easily took down her Braixen with Rock Tomb; and finally Hawlucha crushed her Absol with Flying Press. Now on to the gym!

I stepped through the very unassuming entrance to the gym. Inside, I saw a thick, huge tree which filled the entire chamber. Nets and vines were hung all around the structure in between paths that wrapped around the tree leading to the top. I started the climb and was challenged by many trainers along my trek. One of them had a Simisage.

"Simisage, the Thorn Monkey Pokémon. Simisage are ill tempered and fight by swinging their barbed tails around wildly and striking their enemies. The leaf growing on their heads is very bitter."

I then battled a trainer with three Pokémon. He led with a Ferroseed, but then he also had a Lombre and a Carnivine as well.

"Lombre, the Jolly Pokémon. No further data."
"Carnivine, the Bug Catcher Pokémon. No further data."

Interesting, it appears those Pokémon are not in either of the sections of the Kalos Pokédex I have. Regardless, I battled more trainers, and saw one more Pokémon I haven't seen yet.

"Exeggutor, the Coconut Pokémon, and the evolved form of Exeggcute. Exeggutor are called 'The Walking Jungle.' They have three heads that think independently. However, they are friendly and never appear to squabble. If a head grows too big, it falls off and becomes an Exeggcute."

COUMARINE CITY GYM CHALLENGE
VS. RAMOS

I finally reached the top of the tree, where a large study was carved out. Ramos was sitting at a nearby table having some tea.

"Ho! So yeh've made it clear up here!" Ramos said as he noticed me. "I'm the Gym Leader. Ramos's the name. So what'd yeh think, whippersnapper? Did yeh enjoy the garden playground I made with all these sturdy plants o' mine? Their strength is a sign o' my strength as a gardener and a Gym Leader! Yeh sure yer up to facing all that?"

"I've been ready for a long time," I responded. "My name is Steve. And I'm ready for my fourth gym badge!"

Ramos leaned on his gardening scissors that he's had for 30 years as he stood at his end of the battlefield. I took my place as well as the judge called the rules.

"This official Kalos gym battle will now begin! Each side can use three Pokémon and the challenger may substitute between these Pokémon freely."

"Okay, whippersnapper, here a'comes my first Pokémon," Ramos called. "Jumpluff, come on out!"

"Did you know a Clay from Unova? 'Cause you kinda talk like him," I mumbled under my breath with a grin. "Jumpluff was definitely not the Pokémon I expected to see a gym leader use. Anyway, Cubone, maximize!"

My Cubone took the field with its normal shine as I pulled out my Pokédex.

"Jumpluff, the Cottonweed Pokémon, and the evolved form of Skiploom. Jumpluff circle the globe, scattering cotton spores as they go. Even in the fiercest wind, they can control their fluff to make their way to any place in the world they want."

"I think yer takin' things too quickly there, sprout," Ramos commented. "Bringin' a ground-type Pokémon to a grass-type gym is like lightin' a match in a dry forest!"

"We'll see about that!" I said enthusiastically. "Get ready, Cubone!"

"Jumpluff, use Acrobatics!" Ramos called the first move.

"Cubone, let it in close, and then…" I waited for the right moment to finish the command. "Use Rock Tomb!"

Cubone and I were in perfect sync, as the move was a super-effective critical hit!

"Jumpluff is unable to battle!" The judge called.

"Well I'll be," said Ramos as he recalled his fallen Pokémon. "Thank you, Jumpluff. Ok, now check out my Weepinbell!"

"Cubone, return! You did a great job out there!" I recalled it to avoid any further type disadvantages. Having a rock-type move to counter a Pokémon that was also flying-type was a stroke of luck, but I'll play it safe for the rest of the match. So this time I'm up against a Weepinbell. I haven't seen one of those in quite a few years!

"Weepinbell, the Flycatcher Pokémon. No further data."

"Another Pokémon not from Kalos, I guess," I assumed. "Hawlucha, maximize!"

This match up was much more straightforward. Ramos called the attack. "Weepinbell, use Acid!"

"No you don't! Hawlucha, dodge and use Aerial Ace!" My Hawlucha was much faster and avoided the attack, while landing a strong blow on Weepinbell.

"Weepinbell is unable to battle," the judge called. "Hawlucha wins!"

"Wow, two for two!" I cheered. "Hawlucha, great job, return!"

"You return too, Weepinbell, take a rest," Ramos said. "Well done, whippersnapper. But now, here's my strongest Pokémon! Go, my Gogoat!"

"A go-what?" I stared at the Pokémon on the field. "It looks like a large Skiddo. I better check it out!"

"Gogoat, the Mount Pokémon, and the evolved form of Skiddo. Gogoat inhabit mountainous regions. The leader of the herd is decided by a battle of clashing horns. They can tell how their trainers are feeling by subtle shifts in the grip on their horns. This empathic sense lets them run as if one being."

"Ok, well, I'm still ready to finish this," I put away my Pokédex. "Aerodactyl, come on out!"
Aerodactyl appeared in the air. Then my Mega Ring started to glow!

"Ah, is that there a Mega Stone?" asked Ramos.

Before everyone's eyes, my Aerodactyl Mega Evolved into Mega Aerodactyl!

"Mega Aerodactyl, use Crunch!" If only it knew a flying-type attack, this battle would be over, but instead I'll have to rely on this strong attack instead.

"Gogoat, intercept it with your Take Down!" The gym leader's Pokémon charged at mine. The two collided in an explosion of power, doing good damage on both sides.

"Hang in there, Mega Aerodactyl!" I encouraged my Pokémon. "Stay out of reach and use Ancient Power!"

"Gogoat, no!" Ramos yelled as the attack struck Gogoat. "Ya think my Gogoat can't reach yer Pokémon eh? Gogoat, jump and use Take Down!"

We were caught off guard by such a daring move, but Mega Aerodactyl was still ok to battle.

"Time to finish this," I commanded as I saw how worn out Gogoat had become. "Mega Aerodactyl, use Crunch, let's go!"

My Pokémon landed its attack, and Gogoat was knocked out!

"Gogoat is unable to battle, so the match goes to Steve and his Mega Aerodactyl!"

"Well done, sprout," Ramos commended me. "Yeh believe in yer Pokémon... And they believe in yeh, too... Mighty oaks from acorns grow. Go on, then. Yeh've earned it. Here's yer own Plant Badge, sprout."

I finally won my fourth Kalos Gym badge, the Plant Badge!

Don't know if this counts as a Travel Journal or not, but I beat the Super Triple Battle Chatelaine a little while ago and got my last trophy.

Final battle turned out better than I thought it would, still had four members left and one was paralyzed. But i'm glad to have completed this. ^^

Today I did a lot in my Y file! Defeated the seventh gym, caught Yveltal, ventured all the way through Route 20, defeated Wulfric, and now getting through Victory Road. Taught Roserade Energy Ball, and Flygon Earthquake, which essentially finished up my team's movesets. Excited for the elite four :]

Well, I've been working on completing my National Pokedex, and I just encountered a shiny Ursaring that I caught with a critical capture.. What are the odds of that?!

July 19, 2014

I decided to keep Cubone, Hawlucha, Aerodactyl, and Lapras with me for the time being. I also obtained a medal a few weeks ago that I just noticed, bringing my total up to 68 medals.

A-005-3 Adventure Super Rod Fisherman A Medal given to very experienced fishers who caught 50 Pokémon. 07/11/2014

July 24, 2014

It's finally time to start moving on from Coumarine City. As I was passing through the gate that would lead to Route 13 I ran into Dexio and Sina, Professor Sycamore's assistants. They said they were on their way to check out the Power Plant nearby. Apparently there have been some blackouts in Lumiose City so they had come to investigate. But an intense sandstorm forced them to come to Coumarine City temporarily.

They also asked how the Pokédex was coming along. I showed it to them, and they seemed impressed. I told them I saw some Pokémon not registered in the Pokédex, and then they broke the news to me. In addition to the Central and Coastal sections of the Pokédex, there's another section for the mountainous eastern regions of Kalos, the Mountain Pokédex. Just when I thought I was getting closer to completing the Kalos Pokédex! Still, I'm excited to see what kind of different Pokémon live in the mountains. Dexio updated my Pokédex, and I checked out the Pokémon I saw at the Coumarine Gym.

"Lombre, the Jolly Pokémon. Lombre live at the water's edge where it is sunny. They sleep on beds of water-grass by day and become active at night. They have mischievous spirits, and if one spots an angler, it will tug on the fishing line to interfere."

"Carnivine, the Bug Catcher Pokémon. Carnivine bind themselves to trees in marshes. They attract prey with their sweet-smelling saliva, and then chomp down. They take a whole day to eat prey."

"Weepinbell, the Flycatcher Pokémon. Weepinbell spit out Poison Powder to immobilize enemies and then finish them with a spray of Acid. Their leafy parts act as cutters for slashing foes."

Before leaving, Sina also said she found a Pokémon egg as they were traveling from Lumiose City. I accepted it, and then I stepped out onto Route 13, which opened up into the Lumiose Badlands.

July 25, 2014

My egg hatched, and it turned out to be a Diglett!

"Diglett, the Mole Pokémon. Diglett live about one yard underground where they feed on plant roots. They sometimes appear aboveground. Their skin is very thin. If they are exposed to light, their bodies heat up, causing them to grow weak."

194. Diglett

The Lumiose Badlands was quite a dry, arid route. At first I thought it might be devoid of any wild Pokémon since there is no tall grass, but then I saw something burrowing underground. Out popped a Gible! As I looked around I found many more wild Pokémon burrowing nearby and occasionally coming up aboveground. In addition to more Gible, I saw several Trapinch and even more than a few Dugtrio!

"Gible, the Land Shark Pokémon. Gible nest in small, horizontal holes in cave walls and are warmed by geothermal heat. Foes who get too close can expect to be pounced on and bitten."

"Trapinch, the Ant Pit Pokémon. Trapinch live in arid deserts. They make inescapable conical pits and lie in wait at the bottom for prey to come tumbling down these sloping pit traps."

"Dugtrio, the Mole Pokémon, and the evolved form of Diglett. Dugtrio dig through the ground in battle and strike the unsuspecting foe from an unexpected direction. They are extremely powerful and can dig through even the hardest ground to a depth of over 60 miles."

There were also strong gusts that blew through the crags in the area, making it difficult to see and even move. I did a little training and exploring, and managed to catch a Trapinch at one point.

195. Trapinch

I returned to Coumarine City to rotate my Pokémon. I sent Aerodactyl, Hawlucha, Lapras, Diglett, and Trapinch to storage. My Cubone had no problem in the badlands, but I want to train some of my other Pokémon too. I had Horsea, Audino, Skiddo, Swellow, and Vaporeon transferred to me. Then I returned to the Lumiose Badlands.

The ground-type Pokémon along the route were easy opponents for my Skiddo. It wasn't too long before my Skiddo started to evolve! Just like Ramos, I now have a Gogoat of my very own!

196. Gogoat

I had my recently caught Horsea work on some Bubblebeam target practice on some nearby boulders. At least, I thought they were all boulders until one of them started to move. It turned out to be a Graveler!

"Graveler, the Rock Pokémon. Graveler roll down slopes to move. They roll over any obstacle without slowing down or changing their direction. With free and uncaring natures, they don't mind if pieces break off while they roll."

I did extensive exploration of the area, finding all sorts of items among the crags. In the far distance I see parts of what must be the Kalos Power Plant. When I approached the main part of the power plant, I was attacked by a familiar Team Flare Grunt! His Houndour has evolved since the last time I battled him near Geosenge Town. Luckily, Horsea and Vaporeon were more than a match for his new Houndoom.

"Houndoom, the Dark Pokémon, and the evolved form of Houndour. Houndoom breathe flames that contain toxins when angry. If they cause a burn, it will hurt forever. Long ago, people imagined their eerie howls to be the call of the grim reaper."

The grunt had his Golbat too, but Vaporeon was able to take it down with its Aurora Beam. After the battle the grunt ran off, but not before dropping some kind of key card. I picked it up, and then decided to get back to some training.

Before heading back to the Pokémon Center, I managed to catch a Gible in the area with a critical capture!

197. Gible

After a short break, I went back to the badland and had my Pokémon Rock Smash some of the rocks to see what we could find. In addition to a lucky find of an Ether, we also found a Slugma! Though the first Poké Ball missed, I caught it on my second try.

"Slugma, the Lava Pokémon. Slugma have bodies made of magma. They are a common sight in volcanic areas, and they slowly slither around in constant search for warm places. If they don't keep moving, their bodies will cool and harden."

198. Slugma

July 26, 2014

I spent the morning training my current team. Horsea especially got a lot of practice in, as its Brine and Twister attacks were super-effective against all the wild Pokémon in the area. Also, despite what one would think, there were quite a few berry trees in the area, and Horsea kept knocking berries loose with its Twister attack, so I collected quite a few berries as well. Then just after noon I returned to the Pokémon Center and had five more Pokémon sent to me: Absol, Mareep, my first Slowpoke, my female Meowstic, and Braixen.

July 27, 2014

I decided to check out the Power Plant. The pass I had picked up from the Team Flare grunt that I defeated the other day apparently was a pass to get in the main door. I wonder if Team Flare is responsible for the problems in Lumiose City. Maybe I could find something out and help Dexio and Sina in their investigation.

After entering the main door and heading down a long hallway, my suspicions proved to be true. A Team Flare grunt was there to greet me. My Braixen was able to defeat his Scraggy (only thanks to a missed High-Jump Kick) and my Meowstic easily beat his Golbat. I found the Power Plant workers in a room off to the corner. I said I would see what I could do about Team Flare, though a few of them seemed skeptical that I would be able to do anything. One of them was even trying to scam me out of some Fresh Water! Jerk.

A little further in, I encountered another Team Flare Grunt, but once again Braixen and Meowstic were up to the task. Then I entered the main chamber, and was immediately attacked by a grunt and his Mightyena!

"Mightyena, the Bite Pokémon. Mightyena chase down prey in a pack of around ten. They defeat foes with perfectly coordinated teamwork. They will always obey the commands of a skilled trainer. This behavior arises from their living in packs in ancient times."

It was a tough battle, but Braixen was a little faster and was able to win. I did retreat momentarily to give my Pokémon a rest, and treat their battle wounds with some Super Potions I had on hand. Then I continued further in the main chamber, fighting more Team Flare Grunts, who used mostly the same Pokémon. The last one I battled before retreating to the Pokémon Center had a Liepard, which I hadn't seen yet in Kalos.

"Liepard, the Cruel Pokémon. Liepard sneak up on their targets stealthily, striking from behind before their victims have a chance to react. Their beautiful form comes from the muscles they have developed. They run silently in the night."

It was the Kalos cat Pokémon versus the Unova cat Pokémon, and although my Meowstic was at a type-disadvantage, its Charge Beam was able to help it win the battle.

My Pokémon were pretty tired, so I gave them a rest at the Pokémon Center.

July 28, 2014

I returned to the Kalos Power Plant, and battled a few more Team Flare Grunts, until I finally made it to the center of the main chamber. I saw two people at the main dynamo talking about how they were diverting the power from Lumiose City to power up something else. Whatever they're up to, I stepped out to stop them, but I may have been too late, because the girl told the guy that she thinks they have enough energy to power "the device." That can't be good. Once they spotted me, the Team Flare Admin guy attacked me with his Houndoom. It was very powerful, so I decided to go with my own heavy hitter and sent out Cubone to battle it.

"Houndoom, Beat Up those annoying intruders!" The admin yelled.

"Cubone, let it come to you," I said as Cubone took the attack with no problem. "Now retaliate with Power-Up Punch!"

I wasn't expecting it, but the punch landed a critical super-effective hit on Houndoom, and knocked it out!

The admin threw a monkey-like tantrum in defeat. "If my analysis is correct, and it always is, this battle is 100 percent a failure on my part. Aliana, it's up to you!"

The woman appeared to be the scientist of this outfit. And speaking of outfits, she was sporting some kind of cool futuristic looking visor on her face.

"You won't stop us from our something we have planned," she said cryptically. "Mightyena, eliminate them!"

I decided to try something different, and went with Mareep. I was just hoping for paralysis, but, Mareep did surprisingly well! After using Thunder Wave to paralyze Mightyena, Mareep used Confuse Ray. Luck was on our side as Mightyena kept hurting itself in its confusion while Mareep used Electro Ball after Electro Ball until Mightyena was no longer able to battle! And as a further reward, Mareep evolved in Flaaffy!

"Flaaffy, the Wool Pokémon, and the evolved form of Mareep. Flaaffy have fluffy fleece that easily store electricity. If their coat becomes fully charged with electricity, their tail lights up. Their rubbery hides keep them from being electrocuted. They fire hair that zaps on impact."

199. Flaaffy

"You're quite strong," commented Aliana. "Very strong indeed."

Before I could respond further, two more people showed up. They were in some kind of super-hero disguises, but, it was unmistakably Dexio and Sina. Team Flare disappeared while my attention was diverted, however. They thanked me for chasing off Team Flare before they got there, but said that they were the defenders of Kalos. Cute. I let them maintain their secret identity. They told me that the power should now be restored to Lumiose City, and that there's a gate nearby that would lead to a northern area of the town. Since I didn't explore Lumiose City the first time I passed through, I figured now's a good time to check it out.

I stopped in to see the power plant workers before I left. Once guy now offered to sell me discounted Fresh Water as thanks, and another guy explained more about how the power plants works. Something about beaming energy from space, with the help of a Pokémon called Porygon on the satellite. Porygon? I wonder if they're native to Kalos.

As I left the power plant and headed toward the gate, I came upon a very large individual mumbling to himself. "The Pokémon… the flower Pokémon. The Pokémon that was given eternal life."

Weird. The dude was a giant or something though. He just walked off though, allowing me to enter the gate that would lead to Lumiose City.

July 31, 2014

I'm finally back in Lumiose City. Shauna was there too; she was calling out to me excited about the electricity being restored. She asked me to follow her to watch the lighting of Prism Tower, the huge structure in the center of the sprawling city. So I entered Centrico Plaza where Prism Tower is located, and Shauna introduced me to two of her friends, Clement and his little sister Bonnie. Clement is apparently the Lumiose City Gym Leader! He's also an inventor of all sorts of odd gadgets, which would be impressive if most of them actually worked. But he said he was done fixing the lights on Prism Tower.

"The future is now, thanks to science!" Clemont exclaimed. "Clemontic gear, on! Prism Tower lighting system, activate!"

Shauna and I, as well as anyone else standing in Centrico Plaza, was witness to one of Clemont's inventions that was a success, as Prism Tower brightly lit up!

"Science is SO amazing!" came a raspy voice out of nowhere. Weird.

I was also told that Prism Tower was also the Lumiose City Gym. Clemont thanked me for helping drive out Team Flare and restoring power to Lumiose City, and said he would be happy to accept a gym challenge from me whenever I was ready.

This city is huge; I foresee myself spending a lot of time exploring before I actually challenge the gym.

August 2, 2014

I decided that since the Battle Chateau was not too far away, that it would be a good place to do some training. I started off with an amusing battle, Slowpoke versus Bidoof (derp vs derp?). But after that, I had more challenging battles, including a trainer who had a Lairon and a Sudowoodo!

"Lairon, the Iron Armor Pokémon. Lairon love iron ore. They habitually show off their strength with the size of sparks they create by ramming their steel bodies into boulders. Groups of them fight for territory by bashing one another with these steel bodies."

"Sudowoodo, the Imitation Pokémon. Sudowoodo disguise themselves as trees to avoid attack. Although they pretend to be trees, their composition appears more similar to rock than to vegetation. They hate water, so they will disappear if it starts raining."

When I returned to the Pokémon Center in Camphrier Town, I left five Pokémon with Nurse Joy and picked up a group of others. The next five were Fletchinder, Corphish, Binacle, Sylveon, and Shellder.

August 3, 2014

I did a bit more exploring in Lumiose City. I checked out some of the cafes, and even found a museum. Inside the museum were all kinds of artwork, and not just depicting scenery from here in Kalos, there were paintings of Johto, Sinnoh, Unova, and even a painting of Mr. Briney and Peeko from the Hoenn Region!

As I was passing through one of the streets, a woman challenged me to a battle. I used Fletchinder, but she used a Seadra!

"Seadra, the Dragon Pokémon, and the evolved form of Horsea. Seadra are capable of swimming backwards by rapidly flapping their wing-like pectoral fins and stout tail. Their bodies bristle with sharp spikes. Carelessly trying to touch it could cause fainting from the spikes."

I lost the battle with Fletchinder, but Sylveon was able to win after that. Then I figured I should do more training at the Battle Chateau. So I took the team there, and we battled some familiar trainers, as well as some fellow Marquis-level trainers. I even battled some trainers who came from the mountainous areas of Kalos, so they had a different variety of Pokémon, such as the Earl who used a Haunter and Vanillish and the Countess who used a Sandslash and a Skarmory!

"Haunter, the Gas Pokémon. Haunter lick with their gaseous tongues to steal their victims' life force. They lurk in darkness for prey. If you get the feeling of being watched in darkness when nobody is around, Haunter are likely there."

"Vanillish, the Icy Snow Pokémon. Vanillish cool down the surrounding air and create ice particles, which they use to freeze their foes. Snowy mountains are this Pokémon's habitat. During an ancient ice age, they moved to southern areas."

"Sandslash, the Mouse Pokémon. Sandslash curl up into spiny balls when threatened. They can roll while curled up to attack or escape. If they dig at an incredible pace, they may snap off their spikes and claws. They grow back in a day."

"Skarmory, the Armor Bird Pokémon. Skarmory fly at speeds over 180 mph despite being clad entirely in iron-hard armor. After nesting in bramble bushes, the wings of their chicks grow hard from scratches by thorns."

I'm definitely finding the Battle Chateau to be a good place to train… and to make some extra money, too!

After a little break, I returned to the Chateau, and saw even more familiar Pokémon among the opponents my Pokémon battled.

"Gurdurr, the Muscular Pokémon. Gurdurr are so muscular and strongly built that even a group of wrestlers could not make them budge an inch."

"Rhydon, the Drill Pokémon, and the evolved form of Rhyhorn. Rhydon begin walking on their hind legs after evolution. They can punch holes through boulders with their horns. Protected by an armor-like hide, they are capable of living in molten lava of 3,600 degrees Fahrenheit."

When I was finally ready to leave, I was told that I had earned a new title: Duke! It's the highest title that a trainer can be granted short of winning the Kalos League. I'm excited that I now get to battle even stronger trainers at the Battle Chateau.

Back in Lumiose City, I was challenged by a Punk Guy in one of the alleys. I battled his Haunter with my Fletchinder. It was a well-matched battle, but my Fletchinder won in the end, and then started to evolve! It nearly doubled in size and all its features elongated, especially its talons. Who's that Pokémon?

"Talonflame, the Scorching Pokémon, and the evolved form of Fletchinder. Talonflame can reach speeds of up to 310 mph. They finish their prey with a colossal kick. In the fever of an exciting battle, they shower embers from the gaps between their feathers and take to the air."

200. Talonflame

Awesome! I really like the Pidgeot/Staraptor/Unfezant of the Kalos region. Then again, I tend to always like the bird Pokémon from each place. Although the fact that this one is part fire-type makes it pretty unique.

I had one more street battle as I explored, this time against a trainer and his Gabite!

"Gabite, the Cave Pokémon, and the evolved form of Gible. Gabite love sparkly things. As they dig to expand their nests, they habitually dig up gems and treasure that they then hoard in their nests."

At the end of the night, I gave my team a well-deserved rest, and then took Spritzee, Jolteon, Golbat, Charmeleon, and Krokorok with me. I also seemed to have earned two new medals today; one for becoming Duke in the Battle Chateau, and one for exploring parts of Lumiose City. Apparently I am becoming "stylish" in this town!

B-012-4 Battle Duke A Medal for Trainers who have been granted the title of Duke the Battle Chateau. 08/03/2014
E-008-1 Fun Lumiose Tourist A Medal for those who have visited a bit of Lumiose City and become somewhat stylish. 08/03/2014

A few days ago I finally completed my National PokeDex and got my Shiny Charm in X! Yesterday and today I RNG abused a flawless and shiny Shroomish, Swinub, and Pinsir (all with egg moves) that I transferred to X. I then EV trained them, and now I'm working on training them up before I give the Battle Maison a go. Hopefully I can a 50 streak to get a gold trainer card!

August 8, 2014

I went to Restaurant Le Yeah on Autumnal Avenue in Lumiose City. I got to participate in triple battles as I waited for each course of food. First off, Waitress Talia battled me using her Sigilyph, Emolga, and even a Mantine!

"Mantine, the Kite Pokémon, and the evolved form of Mantyke. Mantine elegantly swim in the sea, ignoring Remoraid that cling to their fins seeking food scraps. If they build up enough speed swimming, they can fly over 300 feet out of the water from the surface of the ocean."

I used Golbat, Jolteon, and Spritzee. It was a tough battle, but afterwards, but Golbat evolved into a Crobat!

"Crobat, the Bat Pokémon, and the evolved form of Golbat. Crobat fly so silently through the dark on their four wings that they may not be noticed even when nearby. Having these four wings allow them to fly more quickly and quietly so they can sneak up on prey without noticing."

201. Crobat

The next battle showcased a couple of Pokémon I haven't seen in Kalos yet as well. Garcon Georges used a Shuckle, Pidgeot, and Dugtrio!

"Shuckle, the Mold Pokémon. Shuckle store berries inside their jar-like shell. The berries stored here eventually become a thick, pulpy juice. To avoid attacks, they hide beneath rocks and remain completely still."

"Pidgeot, the Bird Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pidgeotto. Pidgeot spread their gorgeous wings widely to intimidate enemies. They race through the skies at Mach-2 speed. When hunting, they skim the surface of water to pick off unwary prey such as Magikarp."

The next battle was against the owner, Yannick. He used three Zangoose, but what made it interesting was that they all knew a variety of different types of attacks.

Then finally, Chef Albern used the evolved forms of the elemental monkeys. I already saw a Simisage at the Coumarine Gym, but this was my first Simisear and Simipour I've battled in Kalos.

"Simisear, the Ember Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pansage. Simisear scatter embers from their heads and tails to sear their opponents. A flame burns inside their bodies. When they get excited, they get hot. For some reason, they love sweets."

"Simipour, the Geyser Pokémon, and the evolved form of Panpour. Simipour prefer places with clean water. When their tufts run low, they replenish them by siphoning up water with their tails. The high-pressure water expelled from their tails is so powerful, it can destroy a concrete wall."

I didn't win in the number of rounds I was challenged with, but I was off by only one on a few battles. Plus a few of my Pokémon were knocked out in some of the battles.

After my meal, I went back to the Battle Chateau for a few battles, and tending to my growing berry garden.

August 9, 2014

I rotated my Pokémon and had Stunky, Minun, Rhyhorn, Lucario, and Ralts sent to me. I then went to Lumiose City and played the Loto-ID, which I lost. Then I checked out Hotel Richissime, and did some jobs there that earned me some money. Then I went to nearby Restaurant Le Yeah to train my team with some triple battles. After the second battle, my Ralts evolved into a Kirlia! But despite this, and also despite having Mega Lucario, we lost to the evolved elemental monkeys. We didn't stand a chance; they had all my Pokémon's weaknesses covered.

I decided we should train more at the Battle Chateau. So I stopped in at the Pokémon Center at Camphrier Town. I had a Dawn Stone that I found across the small pond on Ouvert Way near Santalune City, so I gave it to Kirlia, and it evolved into Gallade!

"Gallade, the Blade Pokémon, and an evolved form of a male Kirlia. Gallade are masters of courtesy and swordsmanship. They fight using extending swords on their elbows. Because they can sense what their foes are thinking, their attacks burst out first, fast, and fierce."

202. Gallade

Once we had a few battles at the Battle Chateau, my Stunky evolved into a Skuntank!

"Skuntank, the Skunk Pokémon, and the evolved form of Stunky. Skuntank spray a stinky fluid from the tip of their tail to attack. Its range is over 160 feet. The fluid smells worse the longer it is allowed to linger."

203. Skuntank

I got to test out my new Skuntank in a battle against Earl Nassak. My Skuntank used its new Flamethrower attack to defeat his Zangoose, but then he sent out a Pupitar! Still, Gallade's Magical Leaf was able to easily defeat it.

"Pupitar, the Hard Shell Pokémon. Pupitar have a shell body that is as hard as sheet rock, and it is also very strong. Their thrashing can topple a mountain. By venting pressurized gas, they can launch themselves like rockets."

A few battles later, and I met Earl Sancy for the first time. He used a Krokorok and a Dragonair!

"Dragonair, the Dragon Pokémon. Dragonair are mystical Pokémon that exude a gentle aura. Their crystalline orbs appear to give them the power to freely control the weather."

For my final battle this go-around, I battled my first Duke level opponent. He was a butler by the name of Turner, and he used a powerful Scolipede, Jumpluff, and Raichu!

"Scolipede, the Megapede Pokémon, and the evolved form of Whirlipede. Scolipede chase down their foes with quick movements, attacking relentlessly with their horns until they prevail. They clasp their prey with the claws on their neck and then finish the prey off with deadly poison."

"Raichu, the Mouse Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pikachu. Raichu can loose 100,000-volt bursts of electricity, instantly downing foes several times their size. When their electricity builds, their muscles are stimulated, and they become more aggressive than usual."

Then, after giving that team a good rest, I rotated them out for Electrike, Wormadam(P), Luvdisc, Ferroseed, and Ninjask. Some battling at Restaurant Le Yeah helped my Electrike to evolve into Manectric!

"Manectric, the Discharge Pokémon, and the evolved form of Electrike. Manectric discharge electricity from their manes. They create thunderclouds overhead to drop lightning bolts. They rarely appear before people and are said to nest where lightning has fallen."

204. Manectric

Back at the Pokémon Center, I was awarded my 71st medal:

A-004-4 Adventure Pedaling Legend A Medal given to earthshaking cyclists who have ridden a Bicycle 500 times. 08/09/2014

After taking so long to update this, I might as well start from the beginning upon arriving in Shalour City. I went to the Tower of Mastery and found out about Mega Evolution. There, I rendezvoused with all my friends and met the Gym Leader of Shalour, Korrina. After defeating Serena, I received the Mega Stone. And then it was on to the Gym. The battle was a cakewalk. I managed to defeat all four roller skaters, and swiftly defeated Korrina's Fighting-types. Here is my team as of tonight:

• Pancham (Lv. 41)
• Linoone (Lv. 41)
• Blastoise (Lv. 43)
• Talonflame (Lv. 43)
• Delphox (Lv. 46)

Who will I use the Mega Stone on? We shall see in the distant future. May I continue to write in the upcoming days. Signing off.

August 25, 2014 --

Yesterday I received the Lucario from Korrina and had experienced Mega-Evolution. Along the way, I also encountered someone who wanted me to watch over his Lapras, so I decided to store it in the PC (heh heh). And I started raising my Pokémon some more. Here are the levels of my team as of tonight:

• Delphox (Lv. 49)
• Talonflame (Lv. 48)
• Blastoise (v. 47)
• Linoone (Lv. 46)
• Pancham (Lv. 46)

Not bad, huh? Now it's off to Coumarine City! Signing off...

I finished the game a while ago and I have to say it was fun but it was a real drag when I fought the elite four and the champion it was so easy to beat them I have a current win streak of 10 haven't much tried to get higher yet cause its so easy and there Pokemon don't seam to get stronger.

September 3, 2014 --

After receiving the Lucky Egg from some random passerby in Coumarine City, I began some serious training on the city limits.

Once I was absolutely ready, I first challenged Serena, and then continued through the fourth Gym. Ramos' gym was unique, albeit tedious and hard to navigate. But I finally managed to make it to him. Having Talonflame and Delphox on my team, Ramos' battle was obviously a cakewalk. I won the Plant Badge fair and square. Here are the current standings of my team as of tonight:

• Delphox (Lv. 55)
• Talonflame (Lv. 53)
• Blastoise (Lv. 53)
• Linoone (Lv. 52)
• Pancham (Lv. 52)

August 10, 2014

During some battles at the Battle Chateau, I battled Countess Adele for the first time. She used a Shelgon and a Magcargo!

"Shelgon, the Endurance Pokémon, and the evolved form of Bagon. Shelgon have an armored body that makes all attacks bounce off. The armor is too tough, however, making them somewhat sluggish. Within this rugged shell, their cells have begun changing. The shell peels off during evolution."

"Magcargo, the Lava Pokémon, and the evolved form of Slugma. Magcargo are hot as lava and their body is always billowing. Their brittle shells occasionally spout intense flames that circulate throughout their body."

August 23, 2014

I was battling in the streets of Lumiose City. After battling a trainer with a Roselia, my Litleo started to evolve! Who's that Pokémon?

"Pyroar, the Royal Pokémon, and the evolved form of Litleo. Pyroar viciously threaten any challenger with fiery breath of more than 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The male with the largest mane of fire is the leader of the pride. The females protect the pride's cubs."

205. Pyroar

With an awesome new Kalos Pokémon on my team, I was excited to do more training. Later in the evening I rotated my Pokémon out and had Houndour, Meditite, Throh, Gyarados, and Diggersby sent to me.

August 24, 2014

While I was battling at the Battle Chateau, my Houndour had evolved into Houndoom!

206. Houndoom

Then I rotated Pokémon in Camphrier Town, and took Sawk, Tyrunt, Furret, Clamperl, and Lunatone with me. I gave this Clamperl the DeepSeaTooth I had found.

August 25, 2014

I took the next group of Pokémon, which consisted of Ivysaur, Skitty, Ducklett, Farfetch'd, and Wormadam(S).

August 27, 2014

During some early training at the Battle Chateau, my Ducklett evolved into Swanna!

"Swanna, the White Bird Pokémon, and the evolved form of Ducklett. Swanna start to dance at dusk. The one dancing in the middle is the leader of the flock. Despite their elegant appearance, they can flap their wings strongly and fly for thousands of miles."

207. Swanna

Then I had Wynaut, Solrock, Meowstic(M), Munchlax, and Yanma transferred to me.

August 29, 2014

Finally back after traveling for work! I started the beautiful day off by rotating in Amaura, Remoraid, my second Slowpoke, Shedinja, and Volbeat.

Then, later that evening, I rotated in Surskit, Hippopotas, Butterfree, Helioptile, and Staryu.

August 30, 2014

It looks like I earned a couple new medals over the last week! This makes 73 in total.

B-002-2 Battle Link Battle Pioneer A Medal to praise the advanced competitive spirit of Trainers who had 10 Link Battles. 08/29/2014
E-004-1 Fun Gratitude A Medal for those who have tipped generously. 08/23/2014

I visited Professor Sycamore in Lumiose City, and he said that there have been a few recent discoveries that he wanted to share with me. First, he showed me two Vivillon which had patterns not yet discovered. They have been named "Fancy Pattern" and "Poké Ball Pattern" based on their designs. Then he said that they recently discovered a female Heracross and Pinsir outside the city, and nearby were two Mega Stones! He believes that these Mega Stones may be the stones needed to have Heracross and Pinsir Mega Evolve. I've already had two Pokémon successfully Mega Evolve, so I'm eager to try out some of the other Mega Stones I have.

August 31, 2014

I woke up super early, so I went to the Battle Chateau to do some training with my Pokémon. My Hippopotas evolved into Hippowdon!

"Hippowdon, the Heavyweight Pokémon, and the evolved form of Hippopotas. Hippowdon blast internally stored sand from ports on their bodies to create a towering twister for attack. They brandish their gaping mouths in a display of fearsome strength."

208. Hippowdon

Then I rotated in more Pokémon. I took Dwebble, Mantyke, Furfrou, Roggenrola, and the egg I found late at night way back in April near Fourrage Road. It didn't take long for that egg to hatch while I was riding around Lumiose City, and it turned out to be a Pinsir!

209. Pinsir

I then stopped in Friseur Furfrou and had my Furfrou groomed. I decided to try out the Pharaoh Trim, which I thought turned out pretty cool.

Then I made my usual stop at Restaurant Le Yeah for some lunch and some Pokémon battles. After the second course, my Roggenrola evolved into Boldore!

"Boldore, the Ore Pokémon, and the evolved form of Roggenrola. Boldore swiftly move front to back and left to right, always facing the same way. When they are healthy, their cores stick out. Because their energy was too great to be contained, the energy leaked out and formed orange crystals."

210. Boldore

Then, at the Battle Chateau, after a difficult battle against a Glaceon whose defense was boosted by Barrier, my Dwebble evolved into Crustle!

"Crustle, the Stone Home Pokémon, and the evolved form of Dwebble. Crustle fight viciously while competing for territory. The one whose boulder is broken is the loser of the battle. They possess legs of enormous strength, enabling them to carry heavy slabs for many days, even when crossing arid land."

211. Crustle

During a battle where I was using my Pinsir, my Key Stone started to glow. I then looked in my bag and found that one of the Mega Stones that Professor Sycamore gave me was also glowing. I gave it to my Pinsir, and then during the battle, it Mega Evolved! It looks like the Mega Stone was Pinsirite. Mega Pinsir looked awesome. It seems it also gains flying-type when it Mega Evolves. I thought that was a little useless, since Pinsir doesn't learn any flying-type moves, but according to my Pokédex, Mega Pinsir's ability is Aerilate, which turns normal-type moves into flying-type, as well as boosting their power. Awesome! Even my low level Mega Pinsir was able to take out some higher-leveled opponents with an ability like that.

September 1, 2014

Today is Labor Day, and it will be a nice relaxing day to myself, so that means more Pokémon training! I rotated in Linoone, Vespiquen, Dedenne, Scraggy, and my fairly recently caught Carvanha.

After training that team on and off throughout the day, I switched in Carbink, Chatot, Skiploom, Golett, and Exeggcute before turning in for the evening.

September 2, 2014

During some early morning training before work, my Skiploom evolved into Jumpluff!

212. Jumpluff

September 3, 2014

I rotated more Pokémon, taking Flareon, Kangaskhan, Nidoran(M), Woobat, and Doduo with me.

September 5, 2014

During some lunchtime battles at Restaurant Le Yeah, my Nidoran evolved into Nidorino, and my Doduo evolved into Dodrio!

"Dodrio, the Triple Bird Pokémon, and the evolved form of Doduo. Dodrio are an odd species that are rarely found. An enemy that takes its eyes off any of the three heads even for a second will get pecked severely. The three heads respectively represent joy, sadness, and anger."

213. Nidorino

214. Dodrio

Then, later that day at the Battle Chateau, my Woobat evolved into Swoobat!

"Swoobat, the Courting Pokémon, and the evolved form of Woobat. Swoobat shake their tails vigorously when they emit ultrasonic waves strong enough to reduce concrete to rubble. Anyone who comes into contact with the waves emitted by a courting male experience a positive mood shift."

215. Swoobat

September 6, 2014

The next group up is Chinchou, Tentacool, Solosis, Bibarel, and my Eevee in a Dive Ball. During my stop at the usual Lumiose restaurant, my Solosis evolved into Duosion!

"Duosion, the Mitosis Pokémon, and the evolved form of Solosis. Duosion have two divided brains which can cause them to suddenly try to take two different actions at once. When their brains think the same thoughts, their psychic power is maximized."

216. Duosion

September 8, 2014

I rotated in Makuhita, Pachirisu, Oddish, Drifblim, and Floette. We got destroyed at the restaurant, mostly due to lack of speed. But then, at the Battle Chateau, Makuhita evolved into Hariyama after defeating some high-level Audino!

217. Hariyama

Then I rotated in Illumise, Gardevoir, Zangoose, Onix, and Starly.

September 9, 2014

After some restaurant battles, my Starly evolved into Staravia!

218. Staravia

After a bit more battling that day, I rotated in Nosepass, Psyduck, Panpour, Gloom, and Skrelp.
And it looks like I earned my 74th medal a few days ago from spending so much time in Lumiose City!

E-008-2 Fun Lumiose Explorer A Medal for those who have explored much of Lumiose City and become quite stylish. 09/06/2014

Kalos Pokédex: Seen 264 Obtained 218
Central Kalos Pokédex: Seen 125 Obtained 115
Coastal Kalos Pokédex: Seen 116 Obtained 99
Mountain Kalos Pokédex: Seen 23 Obtained 4
Kalos Medals: 74
Kalos Ribbons: 6